FABIANO Donega, head chef and new Brazilian restaurant Casa Brasil, was inspired by his grandmother to cook when he was very young.

“My grandmother had an Italian restaurant and I used to spend time with her in the kitchen and help her cook,” he explains.

The chef from Brazil came to the Southampton in search of new challenges.

“I’m always trying to achieve new goals. Coming to the UK was very exciting; to work in another culture and to bring something that I love to the people of the UK who may never have tried this type of food or a Brazilian rodizio experience (a barbecue being cooked continuously) experience which is something special.”

Fabiano says that the best aspect of his job is seeing his customers satisfied after eating one of his dishes, although like many chefs he admits the job does have a downside – the long hours.

He believes that, especially in these tough economic times, value for money is particularly important to customers, adding that he has noticed a lot of interest in ‘all you can eat’ restaurants.

He adds: “Rodizio dining is like nothing you’ve had before and customers seem to be enjoying our barbecued Churrasco meats and experiencing something unique.”

He has a passion for Brazilian food, whether it’s Brazilianstyle spaghetti arabiatta, which reminds him of his mother, or the complicated to prepare dish feijoada brasileira because it reminds him of Brazil.

  •  Casa Brasil, Latimer Street, Southampton casabrasilrestaurants.co.uk